16 Jan 2014

Lunch meeting: The Hon Mr Justice Michael John Hartmann on the theatre of the law

Today’s birthday boys were PP Peter Barrett, Rtn Ernie and Rtn Laurence. Acting President Betty led us in singing the birthday song and presented a bottle of red wine to each of them.

The Hon Mr Justice Michael John Hartmann GBS was our guest today, who talked about “The Grand Theatre of the Law – taking a view from the Front Seat”. Mr. Hartmann is a Hong Kong judge serving in the Court of Appeal of the High Court of the territory, and as a local non-permanent judge in the territory’s highest court, the Court of Final Appeal. He was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), British India and raised in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and received an LLB from the University of London through the University College of Rhodesia in 1967. He was an attorney in Rhodesia from 1971 until moving to Hong Kong to join the Legal Department in 1983. He left the government and was appointed a judge in the District Court in 1991.
Mr. Hartmann shared some cases with us. One of the cases during the time he was a family law judge and another case about an immigration application appeal. His passion to uphold the rule of law and to safeguard the constitutional rights of Hong Kong people is unquestionable.
Mr. Hartmann has written eight books and plans to write another soon.

Sergeant at arm PP George collected HK$450 in raffle prize money and fines. PP Martin helped to draw the raffle prize and the winners were Rtn Michael Lam and Rtn Manoj. The prizes were fortune books for the Year of Horse donated by PP George Li.